London, England (SportsNetwork.com) - Sunderland secured its Premier League safety on Wednesday as the club held out for a 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
The Black Cats entered the match three points clear of the relegation places and needing a point to stay in the top flight.
And despite some heavy pressure from the Gunners, Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon did well to keep the home side out and lock up the necessary point.
The result means that Manchester City has now clinched second place, while Arsenal sits three points clear of Manchester United in third place with a superior goal difference.
Sunderland defended deeply and was intent on limiting Arsenal's quality scoring chances, which the visitors did quite well in the opening half.
The best opportunity came on the half-hour mark for the hosts when Jack Wilshere scooped a ball over the top into the penalty area for Mesut Ozil, but he fired over the net from seven yards with only Pantilimon to beat.
Arsenal was lacking the final ball needed to rip open the Sunderland defense, and it nearly came in the 56th minute when a driven ball from Hector Bellerin was nicely flicked on goal by Olivier Giroud, forcing Pantilimon into a fine reaction stop.
Steven Fletcher came on as a substitute for Sunderland and he had a rare chance on the hour mark when he got down the left wing and into the box before his shot was tipped past the post by goalkeeper David Ospina.
Sunderland defender Billy Jones came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 74th and nearly in the wrong net as he redirected a cross onto his own crossbar.
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